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 The
Worldwide Mecca
of Jiu-Jitsu Instruction
When Rorion Gracie and his brothers first
began revealing the secrets of their family art of Jiu-Jitsu,
they taught anywhere they could throw down a mat. Known
as the "garage days" by those early students who
fondly remember grappling in makeshift classrooms cobbled
together in spare bedrooms and empty car garages, it was
a period of growth and experimentation for Rorion and his
family. During this initial phase, the Gracies established
their curriculum and teaching methods, adapting them to
best meet the needs of their students.
It wasn't long, however, before the demand
for Jiu-Jitsu instruction by Rorion mushroomed beyond his
cottage-industry facilities. In order to accommodate the
expanding list of applicants pleading for instruction, he
began to design what was to be the first American Gracie
Jiu-Jitsu Academy®. And so it was that in August of
1990, Rorion officially opened the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy
at 1951 West Carson Street in Torrance California. The world
of martial arts would never be the same again.
The Torrance Academy quickly became a
beacon for martial artists, not just from California or
across America, but from around the world! Its reputation
for teaching the absolute best empty-hand system attracted
expert and novice alike. Once again, the Gracies found themselves
unable to keep up with the demand for instruction. Responding
to the wishes of anxious students, Rorion expanded the facilities
in 1994 and again in June of 1995, more than quadrupling
the size of the existing Academy.
Today, the Gracie Academy is a 15,000+
square foot training center, featuring spacious, well-designed
instruction rooms, complete dressing facilities for men
and women and a comfortable juice bar where students can
refresh themselves after a hard work-out. Leaving the concept
of the austere, traditional martial arts school behind,
the Gracie Academy is an attractive, inviting environment.
In addition to regular private, semi-private and group instruction,
the Academy is a center of learning for numerous Federal,
state and local law enforcement agencies which regularly
convene there for G.R.A.P.L.E.®
(Gracie Resisting Attack Procedures for Law Enforcement)
intensive camps and refresher courses. The Torrance facility
is also the base for Rorion's WOMEN EMPOWERED®
program, the innovative rape prevention course which is
being enthusiastically embraced by women's groups nationwide.
Now, to address the frightening problems of unruly passengers
on commercial airliners, Rorion has created G.A.R.D.TM
(Gracie Air Rage Defense) to provide crucial training for
flight attendants, enabling them to subdue these difficult
individuals within the confines of a crowded plane 30,000
feet in the air.
It's amazing how much things have changed
since the early days. However, the most essential feature
of the Torrance Academy is one it shares with its "garage
days" ancestors:
 It's still the home of the most effective
self-defense instruction in the world.
For the latest seminars and special events,
please check out our Calendar
of Events and our Visitor's
Guide (for local places to stay). For more information
on classes, check out our Class
Schedule, Class Pricing,
and other Student Information
or contact:
The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy
1951 West Carson Street
Torrance, CA 90501
Phone: (310) 782-1309
Fax: (310) 782-1310
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